Driving in Circles

On one beautiful afternoon, my best friend and I found ourselves sitting in a random parking lot, trying to figure out what to do. We both had the day off, and wanted to find something fun to do, but for the life of us, we could not figure out what! We didn’t have a plan, and as a result we ending up driving in circles, for well over an hour wasting time and gas. By the time we finally decided on what time, a good chunk of the day was gone, and we were not even able to finish our venture. We decided to go fishing, but had no supplies, and again we were scrambling to figure out if we should just give up and do nothing.

I don’t have a plan, I don’t have any idea where I’m going or want to go, and so I end up with nothing. And it’s not just with day off plans, sometimes it happens to me when it comes to my plans for the future, my life, what i want to do. At times I just don’t know what to do or where I am going, I’m just driving in circles wandering aimlessly. Has that happened to you?

Andy Stanley has said, “Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. Those are the ones with vision.” This had become one of the phrases that I try to live my life by, vision of where I want to go and what i want to do. Every person that is alive has some kind of purpose, we may not know what but the Bible is clear that God has plans for us, and that he has prepared an action plan for us to live out. Don’t take my word for it, look at what Ephesians 2:10 says,

“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” (AMP)

God has crafted a life for us, He has given us talents, skills, passions, and dreams. The problem is that many of us, don’t even see what could be, and instead we settle for the reality that is around us. We focus on where we are, our struggles, and what seems to be our lack of ability to get out of this rut. What then do we do? Along the way of life, I’ve had the privilege of learning from some lives that have shown me what it is to live with vision, and here are just a few life tips I’ve gleamed.

Look to Jesus when you don’t know where to go or what to do.

I know this is not a ground breaking statement, you hear it all the time. It is necessary to remind ourselves of it, because our focus can easily shift away from Him when things get though, but if we can keep our eyes on Him then we can walk on water.

Look at what you have been given.

We have been given by God, gifts, talents, passions, dreams and so much more. However, we don’t use or follow them, often because we are ignorant what we have. That happens when we again focus on the world around us, we think we are no better than our current situation, and so we don’t know what we are capable of. Think about what makes you fulfilled, what kind of job that would make you happy to have, those are your passions, those are your gifts.

Look at where you are at.

There are always opportunities to follow your dreams and passions. But it wont happen magically, there is going to have to be work. You have to make time, look for a way to work what you love in your job, into your life.

Write it out.

Write out your goals, and what you want to see happen in your life. Keep it somewhere you can see it, make an effort to see your world through the vision and plans you want to accomplish.

We are not required to live life, driving in circles. We are not supposed to live life at the bare minimum. God has placed in each of us so much potential, to be able to live life boldly, creatively, and to our full potential. Live life, and be amazed by what God can do in you and through you.